There are various applications wherein a relatively movable component is operatively associated with a printed circuit board and whereby the particular position of the component effects functions through the printed circuit board. For instance, in automotive or vehicular applications, rear view mirrors often are remotely controlled by actuators positioned at various locations in the vehicle, such as on a driver-side door. A driver operates the actuator at its remote location to adjust the rear view mirror.
One of the problems with vehicular mirror systems as described above is that different drivers most often must adjust the mirror for a particular driver's anatomical height or posture. This process becomes rather frustrating when multiple drivers repeatedly use the same vehicle. The mirror adjustment process is a constant burden. Consequently, systems have been designed whereby a particular position of the mirror is retained in a memory, and a particular driver simply must deliver a code to the system whereupon the mirror is automatically reset to a position corresponding to that driver's code.
One of the operative components of the system for automatically resetting a vehicular mirror is a terminal module which is mechanically coupled between a motor for the remotely controlled mirror and a printed circuit board. The module is mechanically coupled to the motor for movement therewith. The module embraces a printed circuit board and has a terminal for engaging a conductor on the circuit board. The module moves relative to the circuit board, and the terminal slides on the conductor to provide a variable resistor. The resistance between the printed circuit board conductor and the terminal on the module establishes a resistance reading which can be saved in memory and retrieved by a particular driver whereupon the system automatically adjusts the mirror to a position corresponding to the saved resistance reading.
Such terminal modules as described above must be manufactured in considerable volume. Unfortunately, the modules heretofore have been relatively expensive because of the molding process involved. Specifically, the terminal module includes a molded plastic housing mounting the terminal which slides along the printed circuit board. Not only must the housing mount the terminal, but the housing must include a slot for embracing the printed circuit board, typically at an edge thereof. The housing further must include some sort of universal joint or other coupling means to provide relative movement between the module and the motor for the remotely controlled mirror. All of these components or functions of the module must be accomplished in a very small molded part which often requires complex and expensive molding dies having various side cores. The present invention is directed to providing a terminal module of the character described, wherein the module housing is very simple and inexpensive and can be molded by simple separable molding die halves, with the terminal of the module simply assembled in the same slot which receives the printed circuit board.